The present invention is a utility cart which may be attached to a bicycle or may be pulled by hand. More specifically, the present invention is a two-wheeled cart which includes a main carrier section, front and rear equipment holders for retaining umbrellas, fishing rods and the like, and includes an selectively positionable axle.
People often like to carry umbrellas, fishing rods, bottles of soda pop, coolers, radios, and a great variety of items to the beach or to other outdoor locations. It is frequently difficult for a person to carry all of these items on their person. It would be an advantage for the person to have available a utility cart to carry all of these items. It would be even more advantageous if the utility cart included a large main carrying section for bulkier items such as a cooler filled with food and drink and also external carrying modules for transporting umbrellas, fishing poles, and the like. It would be yet further advantageous if the cart were wheeled and the wheels could be selectively positioned forward or backward depending on the load to be carried. Finally, a further advantage would be presented if the cart is attachable to a conventional bicycle so that a user could tow the cart at greater speed, or alternatively the cart could be drawn by hand if desired.
There are several prior art utility carts for attachment to a bicycle. However, none of the prior art devices combines all of the unique features and inventive combinations of the present invention. One example of a prior art device is disclosed is U.S. Pat. No. 3,909,042 entitled Movable Carrying Structure which was issued to Miller on Sep. 30, 1975. This patent discloses a carrying structure for carrying children that includes a wheeled carrying unit which is connected to a bicycle by way of swivel means.
Another example of the prior art is shown by Kent in U.S. Pat. No. 5,944,333 entitled Utility Cart for Beach Gear which was issued on Aug. 31, 1999. This patent disclosed a cart for attachment to a bicycle which includes an L-shaped frame member, a pair of wheels attached to a pair of brackets, and means for attachment to a bicycle.
Yet a third prior art example of a cart for attachment to a bicycle is disclosed by Nowlin in U.S. Pat. No. 4,928,985 entitled Bicycle Buggy Apparatus issued on May 29, 1990. This shows a bicycle buggy attachment that includes an xe2x80x9cSxe2x80x9d shaped coupling shaft.
It is clear that none of the prior art contains the unique, utilitarian and inventive features contained in the present invention utility cart. The present invention utility cart for attachment to a conventional bicycle includes attachment means to attach the cart to a bicycle, a main carrying section for retaining gear, and front and rear equipment holders for retaining umbrellas, fishing rods and the like. Furthermore, the instant utility cart includes a selection of axle supports so that an axle can be selectively positioned forward or aft depending on the center of gravity of the load contained in the main carrying section of the cart.
Therefore it is an objective of the present invention to provide a utility cart for use on the beach or elsewhere that is most favorably adapted for its selected use. It is advantageously outfitted with equipment holders, front and rear, to permit the maximum transportation of umbrellas, fishing rods, soda pop bottles, cups or other items. The axle is selectively movable to adapt to the load transported in the main carrying section. The cart is easily attached and/or detached to the saddle post of a convention bicycle so that it can be peddled by the bicycle rider, or can simply be pulled by hand from one location to another thereby transporting its contents.
It is further an objective of the present invention utility cart to provide a cart that is easy to manufacture and can be readily assembled or disabled for storage.
It is further an objective of the present invention utility cart to present a cart that is comprised mainly of open materials for ease of hosing down or other cleaning.
Such are the objectives, advantages and novel features and structural elements presented by the invention disclosed herein. Other objectives and novel features, further scope of applicability of the present invention will be set forth in the detailed description to follow, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
The present invention is a utility cart for carrying and transporting large or small loads, umbrellas, fishing rods and the like. The utility cart of the present invention includes means for attachment to a common bicycle so that the cart can be transported at greater speed. Alternatively, the cart can be drawn by hand by a user or by multiple users if bicycle attachment is not desired.
The utility cart has a main body compartment formed from a bottom panel, two side panels and a front and a back panel. Two wheels are attached to an axle which is attached to the bottom panel of the main body compartment via a selection of axle supports. A user may select appropriate axle supports thereby selecting from a number of axle positions in order to facilitate pulling the cart depending on the center of gravity of the load to be carried.
The utility cart includes front and rear exterior equipment retaining modules in the form of cylindrical units having bottom stops. Any number of equipment retaining modules are envisioned and preferred embodiment shown and described herein includes four in the front and four in the rear.
Means for attachment to a typical prior art bicycle is included. The means for attachment permits rotation along three planes thereby providing the smoothest possible transport of the cart and items contained therein.
Removable legs are provided which can be attached if the cart is to be stationary, or can be removed when the utility cart is to be in motion.